Horse hay-rake.



No. 745,207. PATEN'TED NOV. 24, 1903. H. LINGELBAGH.

HORSE HAY RAKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1903.

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No. 745,207. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. H. LINGELBAOH.

HORSE HAY RAKE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1903.

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Patented hlovember 24, 190

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY LINGELBAOH, OF MERINO, COLORADO.

HORSE HAY-'RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,207, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed April 16, 1903.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY LINGELBACH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Merino, in the county of Logan and State of Colorado, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Horse Hay-Rakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in the class of so-called push-rakes or sweep- IO rakes by which hay is gathered by means of long teeth projecting forwardly from a rake-head, the team being hitched in rear of the latter and suitable means being provided for tilting the rake -head on the runningwheels which support it.

The detailsof construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are as hereinafter described, reference being had to accompanying drawings, (two sheets,) in which Figure 1 is a side view of my improved rake. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the rear portion of the rake. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the draft mechanism. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional and plan view illustrating the spring-cushion between the rake-head and the shifting-bars. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the entire rake. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a cruciform plate forming a part of the cushioning devices arranged between the rake-head and its shifting-bars. Fig. 8 is a sectional viewillustrating the attachment of the running-wheels to the axle. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the divided skeins for such wheels.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 1 and 6, 1 indicates two parallel bars, which are suitably connected by cross-bars 2 and a rear draft-bar 3, whose ends are extended to a considerable distance beyond the bars 1. These parts 1 2 3 constitute what may be termed the push-frame of the rake. The forward ends of the push-bars 1 are pivotally connected with therake-head at 4 just in rear of the axle 5. The rake-teeth 6 are readily connected at their rear ends by a cross-bar 7 and are further connected by the axle 5, which is rigidly secured to them by suitable bolts or clips. The axle thus performs a double function, the advantage of which will presently appear. Vertical standards or posts 8 are attached to the rear ends Serial No. 152,874. (No model.

of the rake-teeth contiguous to the rear crossbar 7, and their upper ends are connected with the axle 5 by means of metal ties and braces 9. (See Fig. 1.) The parts 9 are preferably curved inward and are connected about the middle of their length by a crossbar 10. By this arrangement of parts it will be seen that the length of the rake-teeth may be reduced to a minimum and the weight andcost of the rake-head as a whole also reduced as compared with others of this class, while the ties and braces 9 serve as a rear support for the hay gathered by the rakes.

Two wheels 11 are mounted onthe axle 5 between the rake-teeth 6, and, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, metal skeins 12 are provided, which are, in effect, divided tubes having a radial flange. Being formed of spring material, the skeins clasp the axle ,5 tightly, while the flanges embrace or cover the ends of the wheel-hubs.

The rear end of the rake-frame is supported by two caster-wheels 11*, the same being journaled in vertical axles, 5, which are held in suitable sockets 5 secured in the rear angles of the frame.

In Fig. 1 the full lines represent the position'of the parts of the rake when gathering hay and the dotted lines represent its position when the rake-teeth have been elevated for supporting and carrying a gatheredload of hay. The means for efiecting this shifting of position are chiefly the operating-lever 13 and the bars 14, which, as shown in Fig. 2, diverge laterally from their rear ends, where they are adjustable with the operating-lever 13 by means vof'metal plates 14, having a series of holes to receive a fastening cross pin or bolt- The front ends of these shiftingbars 14 are connected with the rake-headthat is to say, with the upper ends of the standards 8-by the following means.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5, metal plates 15, having longitudinal slots 16, are secured to the front ends of the bars 14 and embrace or pass on each side of each of the standards 8. A cruciform plate 16 (see Fig. 7) is attached to said standard, and its lateral arms or lugs 16 project through the slots in the plates 15. A spiral compression-spring 17 is arranged be tween such plate 16 and the ends of the shifting-bars 14 and is held in place by a pocket 15, (see Fig. 5,) provided at its rear end and by a projection 16 of the plate 16.. When the rake has received its load and the rake has been elevated to the position indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, in order to effect the rapid delivery of the hay to the stacker or any other point where the load is to be discharged the rake-teeth tend to vibrate if the ground is rough or uneven,whereby a severe and sudden strain may be thrown upon the shiftingbars and the operating-lever connected therewith. It is apparent that by means of the cruciform plate 16 and the compression-springs, arranged as described, an elastic cushion is provided which will serve to relieve the sudden strain referred to. It will be further seen that the springs provide an elastic cush ion which permits the rake-teeth to rise and fall easily while passing over uneven ground. The provision of such cushion is the more necessary for the reason that the shiftingbars are locked immovably in the working position by means of the operating-lever 13. The said lever 13 is pivoted at its lower end (see Fig. 4) in the rear portion of the frame, the arrangement being such that it may be shifted forward and back, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1 It is connected with the whiffletrees 18, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) to which the draft-animals are attached by means of links 19, elbow or swinging plates 20 21, and other links 22, which connect such levers or plates. The latter are pivotally attached to the rear cross-bar 3 of the frame, one of them, 21, being arranged at the outer end of the same. If the operating-lever be drawn back from the position shown infull lines, Fig. 1, to the position indicated by dotted lines, the rakehead will be raised as required for carrying a gathered load of hay. Considerable physical exertion is required on the part of the driver to elfect such shifting of the rake-head and the raising of the gathered load, and it is apparent that by the connection between the draft mechanism and the lever 13 the operation is rendered comparatively easy. In other words, since the rake is being drawn forward at the time the shifting movement of the rake-head is effected there is a tension on the operating-lever, through the medium of the draft devices and connections 19, 20, 21, and 22, tending to throw the lever 13 back to the dotted position, Fig. 1, and such tension will usually be sufificient for the purpose with no or scarcely any exertion on the part of the driver occupying the seat 23. I provide the following means for locking the operatinglever 13 in either of these two positions. The said means consist of a foot-lever Fig. 4,) to a short vertical standard or post 26.

24, (see and a link 25, by which it is pivoted The arrangement is obviously such that when the operating-lever 13 is thrown either forward or backward, the link 25 drops below its fixed pivot or point of connection with the post 26, whereby the foot-lever is prevented from being shifted forward or back. It is further apparent that by raising the rear end of the lever the link 25 will swing over its fixed pivot, so that the operatinglever 13 may be shifted without difficulty. The foot-lever is preferably made in two parallel parts or members, between which the link and the post 26 are adapted to pass. The rear end of the said lever is provided with lateral extensions or journals having concaved rollers or hubs 27 applied thereto. (See Fig. 2.) When the toggle or lookinglever 24 is to be raised from the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 4, the operator efiects the movement by upward pressure of his foot or feet against one or both of the rollers 27 and at the same time grasps the lever 13 and pulls or pushes thereon, according to the required position of the rake-teeth 6.

What I claim is 1. The improved rake head comprising rake-teeth and a cross-bar connecting the same at their rear ends, a combined axle and tie-bar arranged in front of such cross-bar, wheels mounted thereon, vertical standards secured at the rear end of the rake-teeth contiguous to the cross-bar, and combined ties and braces connecting the upper ends of the standards with the axle, as shown and-(lescribed.

2. The combination, with the frame the pivoted rake-head and shifting-bars connected with the latter, of the operating-lever pivoted in the frame, and the toggle locking device comprising a foot-lever pivoted to such operating-lever and extending rearward into a position where it is accessible to the driver, and a link pivoted to such foot-lever intermediate of its ends and also to a fixed portion of the frame, the single link and footlever thus servingas the sole means of connection between the frame and operatinglever above the pivot of the latter, as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the frame, having the extended rear crossbar 3, and the pivoted rake-head, the shifting-bars, and operating-lever, of the whiffletrees, the rocking lever-plates 20 and 21 and their connectinglinks 22, and the links 19 connecting said levers 20 with the operating-lever, as shown and described.

. HENRY LINGELBAOH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES A. HAYWARD, 11. HERBERT WHITE. 

